Down East Times

The majority of students in Washington County schools were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Maine Department of Education.

Of the 4,061 students attending Washington County schools, 86.6% were white.

American Indian or Alaskan Native students were the second largest ethnic group among Washington County students (11.3%).

In the previous school year, white students were also the most common group in Washington County, representing 90.4% of the student body.

Calais Middle/High School and Washington Academy had the most diverse student body in Washington County, which included white, American Indian or Alaskan Native, multiracial, Hispanic or Latino, African American, and Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in public schools in the county increased by 7.6% when compared to the previous year.

Recent data from Maine's public schools for the 2023-2024 school year reveal a noticeable growth in Hispanic, Black and multiracial enrollment over the past decade. While over 85% of students still identify as white, this shows a slow but steady increase in diversity within the state schools.

Despite these shifts, Maine's public school enrollment remains about 4% below pre-pandemic levels, despite a slight rebound from the sharp drop during the 2020-21 school year. The decline is partly due to an increase in homeschooling and more students completing high school early through college courses and adult education.

A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Education also mentioned in an interview with Maine Public some other pandemic-related factors persist, with "some parents choosing not to enroll younger children in school and older students who took on jobs to support their families during the pandemic and who are still counted on to provide that support."

School	Most Prevalent Ethnicity	Percent of Total Student Body	Total Students
Wesley Elementary School	White	99.9%	4
Jonesport Elementary School	White	99%	99
Elm Street School-East Machias	White	97.9%	190
Machias Memorial High School	White	97.1%	170
Rose M. Gaffney School	White	96%	324
Whiting Village School	White	96%	25
Lubec Consolidated School	White	95.8%	95
Jonesport-Beals High School	White	95.6%	68
Charlotte Elementary School	White	95.5%	22
East Grand School	White	94.2%	139
Cherryfield Elementary School	White	94%	100
Woodland Elementary School	White	93.9%	114
Ella Lewis School	White	92.3%	78
Calais Elementary School	White	92%	261
Alexander Elementary School	White	91.4%	35
Edmunds Consolidated School	White	91.2%	68
Daniel W. Merritt School	White	90.9%	99
Fort O'Brien School	White	89.6%	48
Bay Ridge Elementary School	White	88.2%	51
Jonesboro Elementary School	White	88.2%	51
Beals Elementary School	White	87.8%	41
Perry Elementary School	White	85.7%	70
Harrington Elementary School	White	83.9%	124
Woodland Junior-Senior High School	White	83%	182
Narraguagus High School	White	82.8%	314
Beatrice Rafferty School	American Indian or Alaskan Native	82.6%	138
Princeton Elementary School	White	81%	121
Calais Middle/High School	White	78.2%	293
Washington Academy	White	77.7%	336
Eastport Elementary School	White	76.8%	95
Pembroke Elementary School	White	76.5%	68
East Range II CSD School	White	76%	25
Milbridge Elementary School	White	66.1%	127
Shead High School	White	50%	86